Sapphires and Amethysts
by 7dragons7
Summary: If you don't speak up or reach out, you could lose what you love most. Don't replace sparkling gems for dull stones until you have tried to obtain them first.


"Aya-tan… this is the girl I've mentioned.. Senna. We're getting married."

He looked up at a pretty young girl for the first time. Long dark hair that spiraled at the end. Emerald eyes dancing with life. Yes. He had heard this girl mentioned before. In the endless chatter of his major a woman he had been seeing came up now and then. Until now, it seemed like something unimportant….

Violet eyes were cold as he analyzed this woman. He didn't like her… but… he didn't know why.

"It's nice to finally meet you, sir." she said kindly. Her voice light almost musical. He didn't like that either…. From the silly curls at the end of her hair to the color of her large eyes…

He turned his attention back to his work. "A pleasure."

"Ah.." Hyuuga laughed slightly at the usual cold indifference of his boss. "But, yes.. Getting married. The two of us."

The pale face of the Chief of Staff looked back up. The girl held out her hand, on her all to skinny fingers barring a ring. A diamond ring…

"Then…. Congratulations are in order.." and with that the man continued to work.

"Right.." said Hyuuga softly. The two moved away from the desk.

The soft whispers from the woman were heard. "He's so rude,"

"Now don't say that… that's just Aya-tan,"

The Chief of Staff's pen paused on the ivory sheets of paper after the door snapped shut. His eyes narrowed at the letters he was writing as he struggled to comprehend something that was stirring deep within his soul.

* * *

The fall months turned into cold winter months. The snow covered the ground frosting over the windows. But not so much that it hid the sights out in the courtyard as the Chief of Staff walked through the halls.

"Something wrong, Ayanami-sama?" Katsuragi questioned as they paused in the hallway suddenly.

Ayanami's violet eyes narrowed at the pair outside. The woman brushing snow out of jet black hair. Handing the man over a candy apple. And it was taken with enthusiasm.

"Nothing at all… simply musing over how fast winter came this year.."

"Oh?" Katsuagi looked out the window as well. Gray eyes analyzing the snow covered courtyard. "Perhaps… I don't take much interest in the seasons, I'm afraid…"

"Neither do I…"

"Well. Spring will be upon us soon enough, Ayanami-sama,"

The Chief of Staff tore his eyes away from the window stepping forward once more. Spring….

* * *

A red and white minty sweet was pushed in his face. "Aya-tan~"

Violets looked into sparkling sapphire eyes. "Hyuuga…"

"I got you a candy cane,"

"I don't want it…" huffed the silver haired man attempting to push the taller man off his desk and out of his face. As he did so he noted that…she was here as well… he hadn't bothered to remember her name.. She was watching them both with a blank expression. Her emerald eyes cold almost glaring.

"Then I have a question for you, Aya-tan,"

"And what would that be?"

"Will you be my best man, at my wedding?"

Ayanami glanced at that woman again, then back at Hyuuga. "I'll have to think about it,"

"Think about it?" questioned the major a frown on his face, hurt blue eyes looking over the dark sunglasses that he always wore. "Well… okay…" Hyuuga laughed slightly. Though it sounded a bit forced. "You think about it then, Aya-tan,"

This time Ayanami watched the two leave the office. Hand in hand…he slowly lowered his gaze to the endless work in front of him. Frowning as he found his hand was shaking a bit to much to write properly.

It must be colder then he thought in here….

* * *

The ice melted and the trees and flowers slowly began to bloom, well rested over their long sleep. The wind was soft and it rained often. But spring indeed was upon them.

"Aya-tan…"

"Hmm?"

Amethysts and sapphires met. Both shielded and guarded.

"You… never said if you were going to my wedding…it's in just a few weeks… I had to make Konatsu my best man because you never gave me an answer… you're going, right?"

There was a pause after this question. To long. Horribly long. Everyone in the room was silent. No one's pens were moving as they waited for the answer with bated breath.

"It's hard to say.."

"Hard.. Hard to say?" asked Hyuuga, disbelief in his words. "How so?"

Ayanami gestured to the stacks of paperwork upon his desk. "I'm very busy," he said simply.

Hyuuga nodded… "I know… but… this..this isn't just some vacation…or spur of the moment senseless trip I normally ask you to go to… this is my wedding,"

"I am aware… if I can make it… I'll go…"

There was another achingly painful silence. Eventually Hyuuga nodded. "Right.." A terribly cold laugh came from the Major. "Because, I'm always there for you Aya-tan… I always have your back..you'll come when I need you, too, right? We go back… this isn't about rank or anything like that… this is about friendship…"

"As I said…if I can make it… I'll go," Violet eyes no longer could hold their gaze on ocean blue ones. And they went back to the work before them.

There was nothing more said. Just soft footsteps and the gentle snap of a door closing.

An almost shuddering breath escaped the Chief of Staff as he let his pen slip through his fingers. He rested his elbows on the desk, lacing his gloved fingers together. Carefully resting his chin on them, the brim of his hat concealing his features from the rest of his staff.

The dark silence seemed to devour the office.

* * *

Bells rang somewhere… he couldn't really hear them… but he knew they were ringing…. Sunlight shined through the office window. Soft petals getting lost in the breeze fluttered past. Dancing in the winds melody.

The silver haired man sat at his desk. Though. He was unmoving. Papers say beside him, but he could not will himself to do anything. He was simply sitting here out of habit the mindless routine of what he did everyday…

Pain unlike any other. And. Worse, he had no reason to explain to himself about why he felt like this.

Except.. Maybe… just maybe… it was this horrible feeling of loss again. Except… this was slightly different.. He didn't know.. He couldn't explain it.

But he knew it was clawing at him inside so terribly that he'd choose the end of his own blade then to continue to feel like this.

He closed his violet eyes, removing his hat, and running his hands through his silver hair… another deep breath… each breath was getting harder and harder…

But why?

"Aya-tan…didn't show up to my wedding,"

With a jump he looked up. "Hyuuga…"

The man had his messy black hair for once tamed, brushed back nice and neat, and was wearing their ceremony uniforms. Light silky blacks and shiny golds. A bit more decorated then their normal attire. He was leaning against the door frame. His sunglasses perched on his face like always, the stick of what one would have to assume was a candy apple was in his mouth.

Violets glanced at the clock on the wall in sudden realization. "You…"

The slender, tall form pushed himself off the frame slowly walking up to the desk. "It ended early,"

"The reception.."

"There isn't one. It's all over."

Violet eyes watched the man carefully, looking up as Hyuuga approached Ayanami's desk. "Why?"

"I took her hand…. And was asked all these questions… would I protect her…. And care for her… love her, hold her, through sickness and health… till the end of her days… I looked at her…. As she waited for my answer. And then I looked at the crowd of people… and I looked behind me at my Blackhawk team… and there was someone missing…" Hyuuga laughed sadly, running a hand through his black hair, messing it up to it's usual messy spiky setting. "I felt so stupid Aya-tan… so so stupid… And I laughed… and shook my head… I apologized to her…to Senna… and told her that I had promised those exact things to someone else already. Long before I met her.. So I gave her one last kiss, and left…" he shrugged pulling the apple candy out of his mouth, nothing but just the stick remained and he flicked it into the trash. Sapphires looked down into amethysts seriously before sighing… "You're going to ask me; who, aren't you…?"

A small smile graced the Chief of Staff's lips. "I am,"

"It's you." Sapphires looked over the pale face, his gloved hand cupping Ayanami's cheek. Violet eyes seemed…glassy…in fact…Hyuuga brushed his thumb just under the eyelid, along the dark circles that tainted the pale skin. His gloved finger catching the slightest moisture.

Along with the glassy eyes, and dark circles the ivory skin was a bit grayish. Sick almost. "It's always been you, Aya-tan… and look at what I've done to you… I focused on someone else, and you fell apart… I was hurting you… I'm sorry, Aya-tan.."

Violet eyes closed sadly, leaning into the hand cupping his cheek. The clawing had certainly stopped. But his heart was beating just as painfully hard as before. "Does my selfishness keep you from being happy, Hyuuga?"

A sad chuckle left the Major. "Don't be so stupid, Aya-tan.." Hyuuga leaned in, pressing their foreheads together. "It's complicated…. But… I had Senna, because I gave up on something without bothering to reach for it first. And didn't realize… that I hadn't lost it. I tossed it out… I moved a lovely amethyst gem aside for a gaudy emerald stone."

"Sapphires and amethysts look better together anyway.." Ayanami said softly, glancing up at the man whom he had almost lost. Because he hadn't spoken up. Because Hyuuga hadn't tried. A terrible error corrected at the last second…

"I think so too," Hyuuga grinned. "So. My Aya-tan. Let me restate, to the correct person this time. I promise to love and cherish you, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for better for worse, and forsaking all others, keep promise in the presence of the Blackhawks and friends that I will at all times and in all myself only unto you, for as long as we both shall live."

"Hyuuga.." unable to say anything else. Simply reaching for the lovely uniform the Major wore. Gripping it tightly, never wanting to let go.

With a soft chuckle, Hyuuga leaned down a little more, tilting the Chief's head up slightly so he could capture the soft lips. Hesitant at first. Testing each other. Before slowly pulling away.

"Let me take you out of this office, Aya-tan. We'll get some food in you. Real food, none of this protein pill garbage you insist on replacing real food with. Get you some fresh air. It's beautiful outside today. And we'll go from there."

"Real food makes me sleepy.." Ayanami said softly, standing up from his desk.

"It's cause you don't eat it enough, Aya-tan. And we can just add a nap somewhere in the middle of our day," Hyuuga laughed, removing his hand from Ayanami's cheek, and taking the man's gloved hand instead.

Ayanami slowly made his way around the desk being pulled quickly pulled into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry, Aya-tan. You must have been hurting,"

The Chief of Staff stilled, soft lips against the skin on his neck. His silver hair being run through by slender fingers. "I thought…you were lost… beyond my reach.."

"Never Aya-tan. Never will I stray that far from your side again."

Ayanami felt lips brush against his once more. Caramel and apple tasting lips against his own. "Hyuuga," the name was whispered softly against it's owners lips.

Another soft chuckle left Hyuuga, and he pulled his Chief of Staff along. "Come come, food awaits us, Aya-tan."

Hyuuga smiled wider at the slight smile that graced the Chief.

"I do, Aya-tan,"

Violet eyes, glanced up at the taller man curiously. "Do what?"

"Do love you, of course. I never got to say it today. You should only say it when you mean it anyway. So, I do Aya-tan. I do love you very much."

Ayanami smiled warmly. "Hyuuga.. I do as well.."

Sapphires met amethysts. Two beautiful stones that looked best when they were together.


End file.
